50 jobs at Stafford NHS Direct centre at risk
The future of around 50 jobs at an NHS Direct call centre was uncertain today after it was announced that it is facing closure.
Stafford's branch is one of 24 out of 30 sites due to shut, although the Dudley site is among those saved from the axe, Unison said today.
The closures are due to the replacement of the NHS Direct service from next April by the new non-emergency helpline NHS 111.
Although NHS Direct bid for the new service it was awarded contracts for only a third of the population which would be run from six of its 30 call centres.
It is believed at least 50 people are based at the Stafford centre in Staffordshire Technology Park.
The service employs 1,500 frontline nursing and other professional staff in the UK.
Unison national officer Michael Walker described the move as "a disaster".
Chief executive Nick Chapman says the service is still to make a final decision on all of its call centres.
